Big Fuss at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Parishioners at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Waterbury are again making their voice heard via the front page of the local newspaper:

WATERBURY -- A group of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parishioners has decided
to stop making weekly contributions to the church to protest the continued lack
of a pastor.
The Rev. David Borino was transferred from the Town Plot parish
in March by the Archdiocese of Hartford pending the outcome of an investigation
into unspecified financial irregularities in the church. The parish finance
director also was placed on administrative leave.
Since then there has been
no communication to the parish from the diocese, which also has let several of
its own deadlines to conclude the investigation pass without comment.
"We
will not give any more money until it's resolved and we have Father Borino
back," said Rocco Orso, one of the leaders of a group of about 150 parishioners
who have been meeting to discuss the matter.

In fact, the archdiocese's spokesman is quoted later in the article saying that it had concluded its investigation and is waiting for Fr. Borino to respond to its findings.

It's easy to feel some sympathy for both the parish and the archdiocese in this matter. On the one hand, many who've dealt with the archdiocese on behalf of their parishes know firsthand how unresponsive the archdiocese can be.

On the other hand, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parishioners are known for making a stink in the press when they feel they have not been adequately consulted about something. In today's article they complain about priests arriving 45 minutes late for funeral masses and not visiting their hospitalized parishioners. I'm sure it is indeed the case that the spiritual needs of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parishioners are not being met. And, given the archdiocese's growing priest shortage, I'm sure it's true elsewhere too. Have any priestly vocations come out of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish lately to help us address the problem? If so, the article doesn't mention it.

Priests in the News

Yes, it's been awhile since we've blogged, but can you blame us? Here's a run-down on a few items that are simply unavoidable for a blog whose title is "The Connecticut Catholic." As you'll see, they're not pleasant topics.

First, there's this in today's Courant:

A former New Milford man claims in a lawsuit filed Friday against the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford that he was repeatedly abused by a Simsbury
priest 30 years ago.
Niles Mallory charges that, beginning when he was 16
years old, the Rev. Ivan Ferguson assaulted him in Ferguson's bedroom in the
rectory of St. Bernard's Roman Catholic Church in the Tariffville section of
Simsbury.
The sexual assaults took place in 1977 and 1978, according to the
suit.
Before he died at age 68 in 2002, Ferguson was sued for similar
behavior. A $22 million settlement between the Hartford Archdiocese and 43
victims in 2005 was designed in part to compensate an unspecified number of
Ferguson's victims.

And a few days earlier there was this:

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - A former priest pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of
thousands of dollars from his church by setting up secret bank accounts to pay
for a life of luxury, including traveling around the world and buying a
condominium.
The Rev. Michael Jude Fay, who resigned last year as pastor of
St. John Roman Catholic Church, pleaded guilty Wednesday to interstate
transportation of money obtained by fraud. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a
$250,000 fine and must pay restitution.
Prosecutors said Fay took between $1
million and $2.5 million over seven years, but the priest has disputed that. He
admitted taking between $400,000 and $1 million.

The papers have been extraordinarily reticent about how Fay's fraud was specifically to pay for that "life of luxury" with his homosexual lover. Of course, they're far less reticent in the alleged details regarding Fr. Grant:

WATERBURY — A Roman Catholic priest at two Naugatuck churches allegedly
coerced a teenage boy into giving him oral sex several times in exchange for
wine and money, according to an arrest warrant affidavit released at Waterbury
Superior Court on Wednesday.
A 16-year-old boy alleged in the affidavit that
the Rev. Robert J. Grant, 63, of St. Mary's and St. Hedwig's churches, paid him
between $100 and $150 each time the boy performed oral sex on Grant. The
affidavit also says that the boy, who was 15 when the incidents began between
July and August 2006, gave Grant several back massages at St. Mary's Church in
exchange for $50 each time.

The Archdiocese appears to have been taken completely by surprise regarding the allegations against Fr. Grant. The first press accounts quoted officials saying Fr. Grant had a spotless record during his 14 years as a priest. Grant is also a member of the Fraternity of Priests, a group of priests within the Archdiocese known for their doctrinal orthodoxy. The rumor in Naugatuck is that the alleged victim is the son of a church janitor whom Fr. Grant had just fired and that the accusation is some sort of payback. And the Waterbury newspaper ran a seperate article just on the strong support Grant has received from his parishes in the wake of these allegations. None of this proves he's innocent, of course, but it's worth noting the strong support he has on the ground in Naugatuck.

Finally, I want to note one happy item--the passing of an elderly priest of the Bridgeport diocese who was a good man and known for his committment to the pro-life cause. Fr. Bill Smith was also a friend to Donna Maria of the Embracing Motherhood blog:

I have known dear Fr. Bill for almost thirty years and have learned so much
from his holy life. I plan to write about him soon in upcoming posts, but for
now I am weary. It has been a long week - watching Fr. Bill in his last days.
When he barely had strength to continue living, he was concerned about giving us
blessings - sometimes in Latin! The blessings in his last couple of days were
given to us with a hand almost too weak to be lifted. His love for his friends
and family will continue, no doubt from his eternal rest.

Rose Hawthorne - Connecticut roots and a "reputation of sanctity"

We just finished reading Rose Hawthorne: Pilgramage of Nathaniel's Daughter by Arthur and Elizabeth Odell Sheehan, an old Vision Book. I like to purchase used hardcover copies of the Vision series books. This one was from the library of Santa Maria School (location unknown). In the spring of 1968, R. Saliano from room 205 took out Ms. Hawthorne's biography 3 times. I hope she didn't wait till the last minute to write her book report (like I used to). She was the only student to check out Rose's story at Santa Maria. It reflects, I think, the general lack of knowledge about this interesting woman.

Rose Hawthorne, or Mother Mary Alphonsa, as she became, was a convert to Catholicism. A story that speaks to today's society, she and her husband struggled in their marriage and ultimately she received permission from her Bishop to separate (her husband was alleged to be an alcoholic and went on to become editor of the Atlantic Monthly Magazine). Moved by the terminally ill poor persons who surrounded her, she created homes and hospitals for them after becoming affiliated with a Dominican order (eventually to become The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne). The Connecticut connection is that in 1887, she and her husband resided in New London, where they were good friends with Alfred and Adelaide Chappell, whose Catholic faith apparently inspired the Lathrop's to become Catholics. I wonder where in New London the Lathrop's and Chappell's lived?

Rose's cause for canonization is complicated by the relationship with her husband. But I say, what a saintly example of how to live a life of holiness even after an unfortunate separation from your spouse. Her cause for canonization is being tendered by the Rose Hawthorne Guild. It looks hopeful, according to Father Gabriel B. O’Donnell, O.P., the appointed Postulator. The Diocesan phase should be completed this year. It would be wonderful to someday recognize both Father McGivney and Rose Hawthorne as Connecticut saints.

NFP, the new cool

Did anyone else see the new NFP advertising campaign for Natural Family Planning Awareness Week (currently happening) organized by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops? I am so tickled at how incredibly modern, sophisticated, upbeat and trendy it is, and all conforming with Catholic teaching on marriage and procreation. See, Catholicism can be hip! I want to order a poster and put it on my wall, just so I can be a part of this wonderful and exciting project. Just as good is the poster from 2005. I am so glad they decided to use the picture of me and HeSaid. We are just so into NFP, and I think it really comes through in our picture.
That said, kudos to Bishop Lori for encouraging his diocese to participate in this exciting campaign. That Betty Anne Casaretti, head of their Family Life Ministry, is a real hot shot and totally on the ball. This is generally true of Bishop Lori's entire operation, and demonstrates why he is a rising star in American Catholicism (whatever that is). Check out the website for the Diocese of Bridgeport (and Bishop Lori's blog). It includes homily notes, prayers, links, etcetera related to NFP.

I have to admit, that an enlightened advertising campaign sponsored by a national Catholic organization is more thrilling to me than even the pope's montu proprio last week permitting a more liberal use of the 1960's version of the Latin Mass. I suggest that is because of where I see the battle lines drawn in today's society. No longer is it Protestant vs. Catholic, as in my grandparent's generation, or liberal vs. traditional Catholicism, as in my parent's generation. Those are side shows compared to the secular humanism vs. religious battles being fought today. No longer welcome in the public square, people of faith who wish to speak their mind or influence opinion in the political, social and work arenas are forced to leave their religion at the door, so to speak. Our reference to God and His Providence hold little weight today. The effectiveness of those references have been squandered by scandal and self imposed religious ignorance. To be persuasive, we should always provide social science evidence to support our religious assertions (ie: marriage helps women and children, the poor need our support, abortion is bad for society, etc.). After all, the Second Vatican Council authoritatively wrote, "Methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God." (Gaudium et Spes, 36). But now, people of faith no longer compete on a level playing field in public discourse with other "religions", like secular humanism, consumerism, paganism, socialism, etc. These religions are given a "leg up" because they are not labeled as such. But they are deities in our society, with new monuments built each day (and have more followers in CT than Jesus). They are savy, have control of our media and schools. But Jesus advised us to be as innocent as sheep but still wear leopard prints, or something like that. The point is that we must avail ourselves to hip and trendy advertising campaigns to reach the flock in this modern time, and I applaud, enthusiastically, and loudly, this NFP campaign by the USCCB and the Diocese of Bridgeport. Hurray!

Welcome Back Old Friend

When I was new to my faith about 10 years ago, my fiance and I attended a Catholic homeschool conference at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, I'm sorry, I mean . . . the Conference and Retreat Center at the The Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary (does anyone know who sponsored that event?). At that event, there were guest speakers of all types discussing Catholic family life, homeschooling, curriculum, and liturgy. They had a good turnout, and I recall sitting among the crowd of about 50 people and hearing one speaker opine that the Novus Ordo was not illicit because the Holy Spirit would not lead us astray for 30 years, and we as faithful Catholics must kind of "get over it". At the time I recall sniffing to HeSaid that the Catholic Church had been around for about 2000 years, and that maybe 30 years of an illicit Mass could happen without spiritual intervention. My thoughts in this area were buttressed when I attended my first Latin Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows in Hartford. I didn't become a regular attendant (my tastes run more toward the 30 minute, no-frills Mass usually offered at 7am on Sunday mornings), but I recall wondering if the Catholic Church had indeed created something invalid with the Novus Ordo. My understanding of His Mercy and obedience to the Church have matured over the years, but I had always hoped to see a liberalization or liberation of the Latin Mass in our Archdiocese. As it happens, Pope Benedict XVI felt the same way, and issued a MOTU PROPRIO today (ironically, it is in Latin, so I cannot read it) that, for our purposes, permits priests to perform a traditional Latin Mass without a waiver from Archbishop Mansell.

You can read more local reaction about this in the New Haven Register article.

We know of 4 Latin Masses in Connecticut: At a certain church in New Britain (sorry, does anyone know which Parish this is?), St. Brigid of Kildare in Moodus, Sacred Heart in New Haven, and Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Bridgeport. Please let me know of other licit Tridentine Masses, and I will list them.

The Bishops Have a New Advisor

Yesterday, unverified former altar-girl, co-founder of the pro-abortion PAC - Emily's List, and our fair Connecticut Representative to the US House, Rosa DeLauro issued another missile, I mean, missive agitating the US Conference of Catholic Bishops to "mobilize Catholic opinion" against the war in Iraq. Set aside your opposition or support for the war, I find it interesting that the lady who led the charge against Pope Benedict XVI in May for voicing his opinion in the "public square" about pro-abortion politicians somehow thinks she can set the agenda for Catholic bishops. I guess advocacy can only flow one way in Rosa's world. It seems Pope Benedict can't voice his opinion about politics because he is religious, yet she can advise the Catholic Bishops because, well, she is a politician? She and her deanery of 18 rebel Catholic politicians continue to try to mobilize what's left of the Catholic Left - a la Voice Of the Faithful and Call to Action- for 2008. Lucky for them the bishops of the Catholic Conference had previously hired a media director, Sister Mary Ann Walsh, to respond and speak to the great unwashed Catholic laity about accusations made by their elected representatives. I don't know, maybe it is some type of high-handed psychological strategy to send a spokesperson to respond to the 18 high level national politicians. But, sounds more to me like hiding behind the skirts of a hired gun. I mean, I mean, why not use the Conference to coordinate a response by the 18 or so bishops and archbishops (hello, Archbishop Mansell) to the offending politicians? Wouldn't that be a good use of all the teamwork/bonding skills they've learned, or whatever it is they do, at those expensive conferences? Sigh.

Brownback vs. Dodd on Catholicism in Public Life

Connecticut's own U.S. Senator (and presidential candidate) Chris Dodd, a pro-abortion Catholic, debated Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) on the role of the Catholic faith in their public duties. Brownback, a convert, got our official endorsement back in March.

"Debated" may not be the best way to describe it. The event, which occurred a few months ago at Boston College, was moderated by an uncharacteristically subdued Tim Russert. Dodd dodged the specific question of how his Catholic faith informs his positions on abortion and gay marriage and no one called him on it. Brownback did a great job explaining his views and was Catholic across the board, regardless of whether that meant taking the liberal or conservative position on a particular issue. But he chose not to engage the contradictions between Dodd's professed faith and his support for attacks on human life and the sanctity of marriage.

It is still very early in the process and perhaps there was nothing to be gained by having a real debate at this stage. But if Brownback is to break out of the second tier of candidates then at some point--against both Guiliani and pro-abortion Catholic Democrats--those issues must be engaged.

You can watch the debate here.